Groups of Internet users such as households and offices often have several individual computing devices (“individual devices”) attached to the Internet through a gateway. The individual devices may be a variety of types, such as personal computers, gaming devices, and tablets.
There is a need to exercise control over the users' devices for many purposes. One purpose is parental control, in which a household's parents regulate their children's Internet use. Another purpose is security, in which users are prevented from visiting sites or performing operations that are considered dangerous.
One type of existing device control technology has utilized device control software that runs on each individual device. Such technology has several disadvantages. It complicates the task of installing and configuring the device control software by distributing it over many devices. It requires a provider to provide, and a user to install, a different implementation of device control software for each type of device. It has the potential for a user to evade control entirely by disabling the device control software on the user's own device, or by gaining access to the Internet through a device on which device control software has not been installed.
Another type of existing device control technology has utilized software that runs on the gateway. Such software is often limited in function because the memory and computing power on a gateway device typically is limited.
Another type of existing device control technology has utilized software that runs on a server through which the gateway gains access to the Internet. Such software typically cannot distinguish among the individual devices that communicate through the gateway, and so it cannot apply different controls to individual devices.
There exists a need for device control technology that runs in a central location, cannot be evaded by users of individual devices, and can distinguish among devices in order to apply different controls individually.